I think anyone who engages in creative work has felt that block: we have the time, but the ideas don't flow.
We can call it "writers block" or "painters block" or whatever, but a recent article I read made the point that "bloc" ought not be a thing if writers, even hobbyist writers (of which I am on the fiction side of writing), take their craft seriously.
For instance, the article said, there's no such thing as "nurse's block."
Now I'm certain some nurses have their days when they don't want to go into work. But that's not the same thing as a "block."
Likewise, there's probably no garbage truck driver block, accountant block, informational technology block, firefighter block, etc.
I do get the point of "block." It's hard to be stunningly creative on a whim.
And yet, on my professional end of writing, that's why I get paid.
A bunch of years ago, probably 10 or more, I was stuck in a preview story for the former Waterway Days in Joliet. I had written similar stories over the years and couldn't think of the umpteenth, brilliant way to write it.
I was tired (too many nights of not enough sleep before delivery newspapers in the middle of the night), and I had to leave in 45 minutes to run a small Vacation Bible School 40 miles away.
But I was on deadline. I had no choice but to do it. OK, I guess I did have a choice. I could not make deadline and never write for the publication again. I could not write the story and lose the income I needed to support my family.
Yeah, no.
So, I reviewed my notes for words or phrases that jumped out (or ones I could make jump out). And I wrote that story.
The result wasn't Pulitzer quality, sure. But enjoyable, readable, and "payable."
On my hobby end side of writing, I enjoy the freedom of not writing on deadline. I have time to explore creative ideas, concepts, world-building, and character development without feeling the crunch of the clock.
But that sense of "all the time in the world" is a fallacy.
Because the clock continues to tick away. And so do days, months, and years.
Without any sort of goal or deadline ("I will write that novel this year." I will not stop for dinner until I have a solid outline for chapter eight." Saturday will not slip away until I finish chapter five." "I only have 30 minutes today, but I WILL write the opening scene."), the odds are 2020 will arrive with little writing to show for it.
And BTW, coffee helps. ;)
We can call it "writers block" or "painters block" or whatever, but a recent article I read made the point that "bloc" ought not be a thing if writers, even hobbyist writers (of which I am on the fiction side of writing), take their craft seriously.
For instance, the article said, there's no such thing as "nurse's block."
Now I'm certain some nurses have their days when they don't want to go into work. But that's not the same thing as a "block."
Likewise, there's probably no garbage truck driver block, accountant block, informational technology block, firefighter block, etc.
I do get the point of "block." It's hard to be stunningly creative on a whim.
And yet, on my professional end of writing, that's why I get paid.
A bunch of years ago, probably 10 or more, I was stuck in a preview story for the former Waterway Days in Joliet. I had written similar stories over the years and couldn't think of the umpteenth, brilliant way to write it.
I was tired (too many nights of not enough sleep before delivery newspapers in the middle of the night), and I had to leave in 45 minutes to run a small Vacation Bible School 40 miles away.
But I was on deadline. I had no choice but to do it. OK, I guess I did have a choice. I could not make deadline and never write for the publication again. I could not write the story and lose the income I needed to support my family.
Yeah, no.
So, I reviewed my notes for words or phrases that jumped out (or ones I could make jump out). And I wrote that story.
The result wasn't Pulitzer quality, sure. But enjoyable, readable, and "payable."
On my hobby end side of writing, I enjoy the freedom of not writing on deadline. I have time to explore creative ideas, concepts, world-building, and character development without feeling the crunch of the clock.
But that sense of "all the time in the world" is a fallacy.
Because the clock continues to tick away. And so do days, months, and years.
Without any sort of goal or deadline ("I will write that novel this year." I will not stop for dinner until I have a solid outline for chapter eight." Saturday will not slip away until I finish chapter five." "I only have 30 minutes today, but I WILL write the opening scene."), the odds are 2020 will arrive with little writing to show for it.
And BTW, coffee helps. ;)
Illustration by Christopher Gleason for "Staked!" Follow
him at artworkbytopher.com.
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